Monthly Archives: August 2015

American University students are recognized as being amongst the most politically active in the United States. To encourage further dialog about social justice both past and present, Special Collections is exhibiting a selection of flyers, brochures, and photographs from four of its social protest collections. The exhibit looks at protests in Washington, DC from the 1890s, 1930s and 1970s as well as protest movements led by international women’s organizations from the 1980s. The exhibit will be on display on the third floor of Bender Library through the end of the fall semester.

AU held its first Homecoming in 1931. This annual event occurred at different times of the year and was scaled back in the 1970s before being updated and improved in 1986. AU’s last Homecoming was in 2003. A new exhibit on the first floor of Bender Library uses photographs and programs to illustrate the history of Homecoming at American University. The exhibit will be on display through the end of the fall semester.

It is with deep sadness, we recognize the passing of Herbert E. Striner, former Dean of the Kogod School of Business (1975-1981) and the College of Continuing Education (1969-1973).

Former Kogod Dean Herb Striner in 1988

Herb Striner earned his A.B. and M.A. degrees in economics from Rutgers University and his Ph.D in economics from Syracuse University. During World War II, he served in the China-Burma-India Theater of War as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army.

Striner worked for both the Federal Government and the private sector including the Brookings Institution, The Johns Hopkins University, the National Planning Association, the Stanford University Research Institute and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. He specialized in manpower and productivity problems and served as a productivity consultant to corporations as well as the U.S., Australian, Canadian and Italian governments including serving on the U.S. delegation to a NATO conference in Portugal on manpower policies in 1969. Striner published over 90 articles and 5 books.

Exterior of the southeast side of the Washington National Cathedral (1977)

An avid photographer and painter, Striner donated his collection of more than 8,000 negatives, prints, and slides to AU in 2007. His passion for photography began during World War II, when he was an infantry officer and was given his first camera. Striner said of this donation: “What I am most hoping for with this gift is that those whose interests in the history of the years spanned by the work, 1945–99, from whatever perspective—artistic or otherwise—will gain insights and a broadening of horizons that will contribute to their lives, as well as the lives of others.” Striner’s collection captures images ranging from international settings to local architecture to nature scenes, and is available online in our Digital Research Archive.

The Student Government’s Orientation Board organized a variety of activities including concerts, movies, trips, and barbecues for freshman orientation from the 1940s through 1980.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Residence Hall Association provided free ice cream during orientation.

Freshman scooping ice cream at orientation in 1981

Summer orientation has been offered regularly since 1980 with the launch of SORC (Summer Orientation Registration Conference). Renamed SOAR (Summer Orientation Advisement and Registration) in 1987, it is now called Eagle Summit. This two day program provides incoming students with an introduction to campus.

The week before classes begin has been called Welcome Week since 1994. One of the regular features of Welcome Week is a performance by the political satire troupe, the Capitol Steps.

Capitol Steps performing in the Woods-Brown Amphitheater

Since 1991, the Freshman Service Experience provides opportunities for community service and an orientation to American University and Washington, D.C. More than 10,000 students have participated in the program since its inception. Students originally worked at local non-profits for four days on the week before the start of classes. The program is currently two days.